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Top stories - page 371

iOS 13 reaches more than half of all iPhones in first month

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ios13
Users can't wait to get their hands on iOS 13.
Photo: Apple

iOS 13 is now running on an impressive 55% of all iPhone models introduced in the last four years. It has taken less than a month for adoption to reach that figure. And it puts iOS 13 on par with iOS 12.

iPadOS, now its very own operating system, has reached 41% of all iPads introduced during the same time period.

Master new languages with this truly conversational app [Deals]

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The Mondly language app uses speech recognition and other advanced tools to enhance the learning experience.
This language app uses speech recognition and other advanced tools to enhance the learning experience.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

When you set out to learn a new language in 2019, the first approach that comes to mind probably involves an app. And apps are useful, no doubt, but most can only take you so far. To really learn a language, you need the feedback of someone who can correct your pronunciation.

When  a native speaker isn’t available, Mondly uses advanced technology to make up the difference — in 33 different languages!

Tests confirm iPhone 11 Pro is king in CPU and GPU performance

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iPhone-11-Pro-performance
Nothing comes close.
Photo: Apple

The A13 Bionic chip packed into the iPhone 11 series is significantly faster than its predecessor across the board. New tests have confirmed Apple’s claims of a big increases in both processing and graphics performance

And just as you might expect, the A13 blows its rivals out of the water.

How to fix a stuck iOS software update

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iPhone ios stuck update
Press a button while updating to see this message.
Photo: Charlie Sorrel/Cult of Mac

iOS updates usually prove pretty reliable. Even during the buggy beta phase of a new iOS version, the updates themselves usually run without a hitch. But sometimes they do get stuck. Or they seem like they got stuck.

Here’s how to tell the difference between those two scenarios. And, if your iOS update really did hang, what to do about it.

Contemporary leather cuff makes Apple Watch ultra-comfortable

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Monowear-leather-cuff-1
And it's surprisingly affordable.
Photo: Monowear

Look no further than this contemporary leather cuff if you want an Apple Watch band that’s super-stylish and insanely comfortable.

It’s Monowear’s most comfortable band yet, and it’s available now from the Cult of Mac Store in two terrific color options. The cuff is compatible with all versions of Apple Watch in all sizes. Order yours today!

See what happens when a hacker tries to add USB-C to iPhone 11 Pro

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Scotty Allen taking apart an iPhone 11 Pro
Scotty Allen begins his quest to hack an iPhone 11 Pro.
Screenshot: Strange Parts/YouTube

Can you add USB-C to an iPhone 11 Pro?

The short answer is a “definitive yes,” according to YouTube host Scotty Allen, who quickly gained a following by documenting his attempts to build an iPhone from scratch and add a headphone jack to an iPhone 7 (both successes by the way).

How to master the Apple Watch Dock

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Apple Watch dock

Photo: Charlie Sorrel/Cult of Mac

There are two buttons on the Apple Watch. You can press the Digital Crown, and you can press the side button. If you press the side button when your watch is displaying its watch face, then you’ll pop up the Dock. But what, exactly, is the Apple Watch Dock?

Just like the docks on macOS and iOS, it provides quick access to your most-used apps. But the Apple Watch Dock doesn’t work like the docks on Apple’s other devices. Here’s how to use it — and how to customize it.

Apple Watch’s biggest assembler wants out in 2020

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Apple Watch Series 5 California Face
It could be one of many new faces.
Photo: Ian Fuchs/Cult of Mac

Quanta Computer could stop making Apple Watches and give its dedicated assembly facility the boot sometime next year, according to sources in China.

It is believed the company currently has “profit concerns” with Watch manufacturing.

Apple premieres For All Mankind ahead of TV+ debut

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For-All-Mankind-premiere
You'll be able to watch it on November 1.
Photo: Apple

Apple this week premiered For All Mankind at the Regency Village theater in Westwood, California, ahead of its Apple TV+ debut.

The new space drama, from Golden Globe nominee and Emmy Award winner Ronald D. Moore, will be available on November 1. It imagines a world in which the global space race never ended.

Utilize AI to create eye-popping photos with Luminar [Deals]

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Luminar 3
This simple tool contains some powerful but intuitive tools for making any digital photo pop.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

In the age of Instagram filters, just taking the photo isn’t enough. These days photos don’t stand out unless they’re properly cropped, color-adjusted, de-noised and generally polished. But if you’re not photo-savvy, this app for Mac and Windows will do all the heavy lifting for you.

MOBA hit League of Legends coming to Android and iOS in 2020

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League-of-Legends-Wild-Rift
It's the first time LoL has made the leap to mobile.
Photo: Riot Games

League of Legends, the hugely successful multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) game from Riot Games, is finally coming to Android and iOS.

It has been 10 years since the title made its debut, and it has since become one of the biggest PC games in the world. But this will be the first time LoL has made to leap to mobile devices.

Latest iOS 13 update fixes problems in Mail, Health, iCloud and more

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iOS 13
iOS 13 and iPadOS 13.1 brought a truckload of new features, but also plenty of bugs Apple has been busily evicting.
Screen capture: Apple

Apple continues the lengthy bug hunt in its iPhone and iPad operating systems. iOS 13.1.3 fixes ten problems that made it through the three previous versions introduced in less than a month.

iPadOS 13.1.3, also debuting today, takes care of some of these for tablet users.

Crazy customizer weaves piece of Steve Jobs’ sweater into iPhone

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Caviar phone featuring piece of turtleneck
It's right there inside the logo.
Photo: Caviar

Steve Jobs didn’t like to sign autographs. So imagine what he might think if he had lived to so see one of his black turtleneck sweaters get cut up so that the tiny squares of fabric could be embedded in the Apple logo on an iPhone.

Caviar, the Russian jeweler known for expensive and outlandish mod jobs of iPhones, has nine iPhone 11 Pro or 11 Pro Max handsets featuring a sweater swatch. The starting price is $6,280 and goes up from there depending on storage size and model.

Update: An iPhone 12 Pro version debuted in 2020.

Why can’t you turn off Personal Hotspot in iOS 13?

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Personal hotspot
No, not that kind of hot spot.
Photo: Charlie Sorrel/Cult of Mac

iOS 13 isn’t just about exciting new bugs. Apple did a lot of cleaning up and moving things around in its latest mobile operating system. One big, behind-the-scenes feature change comes in the iPhone’s Personal Hotspot. You can no longer turn it off. Or rather, you haven’t been able to turn it off for a while now. It’s just that iOS 13 finally makes it explicit.

However, this doesn’t mean your iPhone will constantly broadcast its hotspot status, or that it will run down your battery. In fact, this feature is now easier to understand, and more sensibly described, than ever. Here’s what the Personal Hotspot changes in iOS 13 mean.

Apple wants to put a computer on your finger

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Apple smart ring patent
The Apple Ring, in two possible designs, might work closely with your iPhone or Mac.
Photo: Apple

Apple engineers put considerable thought into a “wearable electronic ring computing device” small enough to put on a finger.

The proposed smart ring would have a touchscreen and work closely with another computer, often acting as an input device for it.

Jason Sudeikis is reviving Ted Lasso for new Apple TV+ comedy

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Jason-Sudeikis-Ted-Lasso
Jason Sudeikis as Ted Lasso.
Photo: NBC

Horrible Bosses star Jason Sudeikis will feature in a new Ted Lasso comedy series coming to Apple TV+. It will be the actor’s first regular return to TV since he departed Saturday Night Live in 2013.

Sudeikis’ character is an American football coach who heads across the pond to manage an English soccer team. His complete lack of knowledge of the game makes for hilarious viewing.

How to make your Mac’s dictionary popup way, way faster

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spotlight popup
A spotlight, looking something up.
Photo: Richard Ciraulo/Unsplash

What happens when you use a three-finger tap on your Mac’s touchpad to look up a word? In olden times, it would bring up a dictionary definition, instantly. Today, it probably doesn’t do anything. Not for a few seconds at least. Or rather, it pops up a panel right away, but then it takes a few seconds to load whatever Siri reckons you might be looking for.

So, how do we stop this madness? Easy. We switch it off in the Mac’s settings, aka System Preferences.

iPhone 11 sales close to exceeding Apple’s expectations

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iPhone 11 camera lenses
iPhone 11 sales are making a splash.
Photo: Apple

iPhone is selling at a rate that almost beats Apple’s production target. The company gave its component suppliers a range of units it expected to sell this year, and actual sales are reportedly at the very top of that estimate.

This is the latest report indicating that the iPhone 11 is selling far better than some predicted before its launch.

Reddit app gets a new BFF: Snapchat

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Reddit logo
Reddit may attract younger users with it new content sharing agreement with Snapchat.
Photo: Reddit

Regular users of Reddit’s iOS app and Snapchat can now share content between the two social media networks, both companies announced today.

Reddit has never partnered with another app but said it will expand the feature to other social media apps down the road.

New iRig audio gadgets for iPhone-toting podcasters and YouTubers

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IRig stream podcasting setup
The new iRig gear makes podcasting portable.
Photo: IK Multimedia

A new batch of iRig accessories from IK Multimedia should make life easier for podcasters and YouTubers who produce on their iPads or iPhones. The gear looks pretty sweet, and — if my experience is anything to go by — it should be well-built, and sound great, too.

Let’s take a look at the new IK Multimedia gadgets.

Apple under fire for sending browsing data to China

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pin safari tabs
Apple seemingly has a new relationship with Tencent.
Photo: Cult of Mac

Apple is under fire for sending Safari browser data to China.

It is known that Safari can send information to Google Safe Browsing to protect users against online phishing and scams. But it seems Apple’s browser is also sending similar data to Tencent in China.

These discounted noise-canceling headphones are perfect for any occasion [Deals]

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Z2 Headphones
This set of over-ear, noise-cancelling headphones last for 35 hours on a single charge.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Few things get quite as much use as our headphones. We use them for music and podcasts on the commute or at the gym, calls at work or at home, or just to watch the YouTube video a friend randomly sends along. No matter where or why, it pays to have a set of headphones that’ll last, and that cut out distractions. We’ve got just that set, at a massive discount.